Swacadelic eyes fourth Stakes win

Last year's Sandown Cup runner-up Swacadelic is poised to go one better in Saturday's two-mile event, according to trainer Aaron Purcell.

The seven-year-old Adlerflug gelding has been put through the same lead-up run into the $150,000 Cup as last year, having finished fourth in the 2800m race at Flemington before being beaten narrowly by Qewy.

This year at Headquarters Swacadelic ran-on to finish two-and-a-half lengths off Fanatic - who is likely to be among his rivals on Saturday - but doesn't have to worry about the now-retired Qewy going around this weekend.

Purcell said the horse is as good as ever, looking to add to his prior Stakes successes in Germany, and also Moonee Valley and Mornington - the latter having come three starts back in the R.M. Ansett Classic (2430m).

"He ran second in the [Sandown] Cup last year, after running fourth in the 2800m Cup Day. He's run third last Tuesday, so his form says he's going just as well, and he seems to be going just as well at home," Purcell said.

"He was only beaten a head or a neck last year, so hopefully he can go that little bit better.

"Qewy just had the better of us, he's definitely not going to be there, so it's still a competitive field, he's going to have to run his best, but we think he's pretty close to his top and with a bit of luck we'll get the result."

WATCH: Swacadelic's Cup Day run

Purcell will have a strong hand in the G2 Sandown Guineas (1600m), represented by colts Black Sail and Villermont.

Black Sail is coming through the 1800m Stakes race on Oaks Day when second to All Too Huiying, while Villermont has been freshened since running fourth behind Temple Of Bel and Black Sail on Caulfield Cup Day.

"He's had a fairly easy week. We're going to put blinkers on him, so he'll do a bit of work in the morning with them on. Dropping back in trip, hopefully he'll travel a little better, but he's pulled up well and he'll line up on Saturday," Purcell said of Black Sail racing on the nine-day back-up.

On Villermont, he added: "They met a month or so ago [at Caulfield]. Villermont's had a bit of an easier time of it, he had a few days in the paddock. He's come to Sandown this morning, had a strong gallop, he looks a million dollars, his work was really good this morning and he's definitely on track to run a big race Saturday."

All signs are pointing towards Yulong Monoceros running in the Listed Merson Cooper Stakes for Purcell, having finished fifth on debut in the G3 Ottawa Stakes at Flemington on Cup Day.

"She's a pretty straightforward filly, she's pretty professional. Her run was quite good," he said of her run behind Setsuna and Roobeena.

"She had an easy gallop at Caulfield this morning, went quite well. Her attitude's good, her action's good, so we'll accept for Saturday, see how we draw and how the race holds up, but we'll most likely run."